A Decade Long
by hidingunderblankets
Summary: He's given a chance he never expected to receive - a chance to learn events withheld from him. He doesn't know the outcome but he's ready for it. A clue is given to him, its form a double-digit number. [Warning: POV switch between chapters] [Leaving up "probably non-canon" for safety and laziness]
1. Opportunity

I awake to the sounds of a grinding halt from the car. My head raises and I find myself in shotgun as before, though we've moved farther outside town. I couldn't have been out for that long as it's still bright out.

To my left Logan adjusts the volume on the radio. He curses as he looks up at a street light. We're just behind a white line on the road where it splits into three paths. The light is red and cars pass by us. I watch them drive by as I collect myself. I'm groggy but I'll wake up.

Logan looks back at his niece. The little thing's eyes are still glued to the GameBoy we gave her to occupy her. She's oblivious to the world around her, to Logan's relief. I look back at him as he looks forward and exhales.

"How close are we?" I ask him. We're on a trip to O'Donnell's, something we decided on since we're alone for the rest of the day. It's so far away but we have the time.

"Yeah, about that," he says as he looks my way but focuses elsewhere. "We're heading somewhere else."

I stare at him. "What?"

"Something happened inside and the police blocked it off," he explains. The news leaves me without words. I see his eyebrows raise as he looks at the light, still red.

"What happened?" I say.

"Probably a robbery. That place gets robbed at least five, six times a year?" he answers. I don't recall that ever happening. First time I've ever heard of it.

I look out my window and see the road beside us empty. Upon the grass beyond it I see another road flowing with cars.

"So... now what?" I ask, unsure of what to do now.

"Okay you may hate me for this, but..." he begins. I look at him and he has a slight grin. "I was thinking we could head to Freddy's. I know you hate stuff like animatronics but they're having a sale and I want to save some money for later."

A topic arises between us that hasn't been spoken of since three years ago, back when we barely knew each other - me and that restaurant named Freddy's.

Freddy's is an older restaurant that's going down in December. I've known it my whole life because I went there so much when I was little, like five. It was back when my parents were the busiest and never around, and they me stay with a relative. All I remember from then were the countless trips to Freddy's because it was down the street from us and there was nothing else to do. I found myself coming for the animatronics more, much like other kids did. But they came for the main show - Freddy Fazbear, Chica the Chicken and Bonnie the Buuny. I came for the other animatronic that nobody cared for - a side attraction. His name was Foxy... and he was a fox pirate.

Foxy and the others were allowed to roam the place, though I heard they can't anymore. They could when I went there. Freddy and the others were followed by a group of kids all the time. All Foxy had was me, literally. I remember liking his show more than the others' and one day I followed him. He eventually realized what I was doing, but he didn't mind it. From there we both roamed Freddy's together. I even remember being on the stage with him a few times. We were very close.

I'm not sure if we're friends anymore though. One day I woke up in bed in with stitches and bandages across my head, my parents hovering over me. They said I got hurt, but they never told me why, even to this day. At that point I was back home, far away from Foxy. I couldn't get up the courage to ask them about the incident or to go there again. I still haven't. I don't share the happy thoughts of Foxy that I had back then, but I want to go back.

I look back at Logan and he's still facing me. Suddenly the car behind us honks its horn. The light is green and Logan hits the gas. He curses under his breath and I know it's to the driver.

"Did you hear what I said?" he asks.

"Yeah," I tell him as I look ahead with him, "we can head there. How far away is it?"

"Ehhh just a few minutes away."

"Do you know if it's even open?"

"Yeah it's open, trust me. So... I guess you don't hate my idea, Kal? Kal-Kal? Kali-Kal-Kal?"

He keeps it up with a smile as we ride down the ride. I look through the glass as I stare off. A feeling settles into my stomach as I find myself with a chance I didn't think I'd ever get. It's not everyday that Logan gets to drive, and when he does we usually can't do much. But now we can. I get a shot at doing something I've meaning to for so long, and I didn't even need to ask.

Sure, Freddy's isn't exactly safe, but I've been through worse, and the bad things apparently don't happen until night anyway.


	2. Reconnected

Through the curtains I watch some children pass by, laughing. They stop in front of it and talk about where to go next. Just then they hear the others starting a new song and race off, except one.

She notices me through the light shining through the curtain and over my face. I remain still as she stares at me and reads the out-of-order sign posted in front of the Cove. She's very young, and I can tell by her face she doesn't understand what the sign says. It's silent in the room until a male voice calls a name and she looks behind her. An older boy approaches.

"There you are, I told you to wait at the table," he says. The girl looks back at the sign and he looks at it as well. "What are you doing?"

She points at the sign. "What does that say?"

"Um, out of order," he answers, "it means whatever is back there isn't open anymore."

The girl looks at me again and the boy follows.

"And you're probably going to ask me who that is aren't you?" he assumes. The girl nods. "Um, I think his name's Foxy? I don't know, I haven't been here in forever so I don't remember all their names. I don't think this one's been in action for a while now."

"Why?"

"I think it had something to do with that, uh..." His head turns towards the main room as he hears a male voice being projected through a microphone. "Oh you have got to be..."

"What?" the girl asks. The boy grabs her hand and he takes her away.

"Just take a seat at our table, I need to take care of this. Damnit."

They leave and the Pirate's Cove is empty once more. I know what the human was searching for, and since then these curtains have been closed, though one of the staff members leave it at a crack for me. Why she would, I'm not sure. The tables in the room are always empty, though they were never packed to begin with. I was just a secondary attraction – a side show. Freddy and them have always been the main act. Sometimes I miss the few people who'd attend my performance. But there was one who stands out the most.

I haven't heard of him in years now. He was the victim of that event the human recalled, and from what I've heard from the conversations of staff members (I have a Fox's hearing along with looking like one), he's alive. I can't believe he is after the injury he took. There was so much blood that day, so much screaming, so much chaos.

We were so close back then. Things have changed so much over the years. The days are roughly the same besides less customers and us being stuck on stage all day, but the nights surely have. They didn't have night shift guards back then like they do now. I guess they trusted us enough. Well they surely don't anymore. Especially since they've had three new guards in the past couple months. That's another story, however.

I stare out at the tables once more as Freddy's band plays for the children. Whoever that voice was isn't there anymore, likely kicked off by the staff. I look up at the old clock hung upon the wall. The hands tell me it's almost five in the afternoon. I bet Freddy and them are just eying the one in their room. As for me, I haven't a care in the world.

It's quiet for another ten minutes until two more people enter the room, only they aren't just cutting through. They walk through the space between the table rows and approach the Cove. One of them is a guard whose name I've never picked up, the second is a teenager, a short and thinner boy with dark hair and these large hands that catch my eye. It's not their size that grabs my attention – I swear I've seen them before.

The guard steps forward and opens the curtain. He looks at me while the boy turns away momentarily.

"Alright, here you go. If anyone asks, just say Bo gave you permission to check him out. Just watch it around his hook, okay?" he tells him before walking off.

The boy watches him exit into the main room before looking back at me. He slowly walks forward and steps over the fencing surrounding the Cove. He looks up at me and I don't move; even doing that may get me in trouble if he tells them. He looks at the holes in me and then to my rusty hook and naked hand. His focus shifts to my face again.

"Foxy?" he calls. "It's me, Kalman."

His name – now I know where I've seen those hands before.


	3. Inquiry

Just standing upon this stage brings back memories. The times where I was up here come back. The feeling I get isn't as strong as before.

Foxy has fallen into disrepair. I recall him being beat up, but it's much worse now. There are holes in him and parts of his endoskeleton are exposed. His jaw seems crooked. I look closer and realize he has some golden teeth – how long has he had those?

"Hello?" I ask, looking over my shoulder. The coast is clear. Turning back to Foxy, I watch as his head slowly face me.

It's been a long wait for this and I'm nervous for some reason. "Do you remember me? Back when you and the others could walk around during the day and all?"

I wait for him to say something, but instead he looks down at my jacket. Looking with him, I find my notebook sticking out. I only use it for scribbling and sometimes notes during school when I'm out of paper. There's a pencil in the swirly metal object holding it together. I know what he wants.

I remove the notebook and present it to him. With his normal hand, he takes and stares at it for a moment. He takes a seat on the floor and crosses his legs while getting the pencil out with his hook. This might take a while. I walk over to the curtains and check the room – still empty. I close them to a crack.

I sit down before Foxy as he writes. He finishes and slides it to me. I pick it up and read the message that's neatly written down.

"_**I do**_," I read out loud. "Alright... If you've missed me I'm sorry, I know his is this is a weird way of saying hello again. I don't live around here anymore. Back when I was little I was living with someone else. The only reason I'm here now is because my friend and I have enough time to drive here and get back home without anyone knowing."

I gaze off at an old cannon prop. The nervousness sets in again. I look back at Foxy, who looks back at me. "I just wanted to figure out something. It was back when I vanished after coming here one day. I can't remember what happened. I just woke up back at home in bandages a day later. Do you know what happened, if it did happen here?"

Foxy pauses himself, eyes down at the ground as I hold out the pad. I wait for him to move.

"Hey kid!" someone calls me. The voice belongs to the guy who escorted me here. I barely see his shadow through the curtains before he opens them and pokes through. "Uh, yeah, I know I promised you'd have time to talk to Foxy and all, but I forgot the camera in this room got fixed yesterday, so... yeah, you need to leave before we both get in trouble."

If I got in trouble here they'd figure out what we did all day. I look at Foxy one more time – he's returned to the same pose he held when I arrived.

I stand up and collect the pad. I step through the curtains and head into the main room without a word. The other guy goes with me.

"So why did you want to see him anyway? Used to come here as a kid?' he asks while looking forward. I'd rather not answer.

"Pretty much," I answer after a delay.

I turn back at the Cove again. I still want those answers, but it seems so far out of reach now.

* * *

><p>I search for the restroom in the hallways. I found Logan sitting at a table alone and it looked like he sneaked weed in with him and smoked it unnoticed. We'll probably be here until I closing. Speaking of Logan, I didn't see his sister with him. She's probably safe though.<p>

I find the boys' room and push the door open. Nobody's here and the floor is actually clean. It's also quiet. Dead quiet. My head began pounding from the noise outside. I need peace.

I step inside and look at my reflection. I notice how red my eyes are. I never slept last night. Normally I would with my prescription but my parents won't get more until next week. I can go without sleep for a while but I think I'm at that point. But I'll be fine.

My legs are beginning to ache. Me and Logan have been out all day now. I enter one of the stalls and close it. I take a seat on the toilet. It's not really comfortable, but it's nice to have a place with heating (Logan's car doesn't have working vents). I dig my hands into my pockets and feel the pad I let Foxy write. I pull it out and look at it. He still remembers me.

My hands suddenly feel weak and my eyes grow heavier. I can feel it slip from my grasp and on to the floor. I feel myself recline as my head lowers. This toilet seat isn't as painful as I thought it would. I watch my eyes shut.

* * *

><p>I open my lids back up and gaze at the stall door. It's cold in here and the lights are out. I don't feel as tired anymore. It's like I...<p>

Fell asleep.

I jump up from the toilet, cursing. I snatch the pad and put it away as I exit the stall. Someone left the door open. I approach it and find a wooden wedge under it, keeping it in place. It's dark in the halls, too.

I remember passing a clock on the way here. I race down the hall and find it. It was seven when I last checked it. The hands are up at twelve.

Logan forgot me.


	4. Numbers

As much as I'd like to speak to Foxy again, the risks just aren't worth it. I've yet to see the other guys, but that doesn't mean they're still on the stage. For all I know they could be following my footsteps. Right now I'm on my way to the office where the guard for the night shift would be. I still remember this place good enough.

I reach one of the hallways leading to it. I check it and there's nobody inside. I look behind me and see no one. I hope that means the coast is clear. I sneak down the hall while staying along the wall where the office door stands. I try to keep my heavy breathing as quiet as possible. The terror around me is so much... why do I even hang out with Logan anymore?

Slugging by, I find myself looking at a bunch of drawings on the wall – drawings of kids and Freddy's crew. I don't see Foxy in any of them. Probably because he's been out of order for so long. Bo didn't say how long he's been like this, just said a long time and that's it. Come to think of it, he didn't bother to explain why he's out of order...

I don't have time to think about that though.

I reach the door and find it open. I lean against the wall and face forward, then look at the way I came in again. I still don't see anybody. I turn back to the door and just stand here, looking at the wall. Something catches my eye, something in the corner of my sight. I look above me and see a camera aimed at the entire hall. I become terrified, and not because I'm on camera. Wouldn't the guard have done something by now?

I slowly peak inside. The room is lit by a television and the silence is broken by a fan. There's a chair in front of the screen, and it's empty. It's just as I thought. Was there no one else he to begin with, or did the last guy quit – or worse? I don't even know anymore.

I decide to step inside and have a look. There has to be some surveillance equipment or something. I know this is the right place.

In the center of the room I find a large screen sitting on a desk in the back. It's showing feed for the camera outside the restrooms. This must be what they use to keep eyes on the place. A good look at this place would probably help – knowing where they are might help.

Before I take another step, I feel someone grab my shoulder. I tense up and I can't breathe quietly anymore. Shaking, I look at his hand. It's brown, like the color. I know who's grasping me, but I'm too afraid to face him – Freddy Fazbear. I just look at the other door in front of me.

This is the end.

I wait for his next move. I feel his hand lift off me, but I still don't move. He reaches into the pocket my notebook's in and pulls it out quickly. It's like he knew where he was. I watch the arm with the microphone in it stretch in front of me. Slowly I turn around and I find him looking at me with the big smile that's always on his face. His head tilts as I stare back. My notebook's in his other hand.

I think I know what he wants. I grab the microphone and hold it with both hands. I watch as he shakes my notebook and frees the pencil from the metal swirls. He holds it as he opens the notebook and skips over to a blank page. I swear I saw him pause at the page Foxy wrote on.

He begins writing his own message. He finishes and hold it up for me to read. His handwriting's neater than Foxy's.

"_**Don't worry sport, I won't **__**hurt**__** you.**_"

I don't understand. Why? I've heard of the dark stories revolving around Freddy, and he's sparing me. I dare to ask.

"Why?"

He writes on the same page as before. He takes longer to finish and I can tell he has something to say. He shows it to me.

"_**Your FOXY friend made a deal with me. So I heard you were wanting to learn about what happened one night?**_"

"Uh, yes?" How does he know? He writes another message for me.

"_**A little birdie told me to fill you in.**_"

I don't think that's how a little birdie is supposed to be used in a sentence.

"Can... you tell me?" If he's hinting what I think he is...

He writes more.

"_**Telling you the whole story would spoil the mystery now, wouldn't it? And I don't feel like using up all your paper. I'm just going to give you a hint, okay?**_"

I don't know how to respond. But I don't want to push it, especially not around Freddy. I nod my head and he writes again.

"_**87.**__** Got it?" Okay then, I suppose you want out of here? I'll help you out. And don't worry about the cameras, Bonnie always gets rid of the tapes. By the way, don't tell ANYONE. **__**Promise**__**?**_"

I tell him I promise and he keeps his. He writes down what do I say and I thank him. His tone didn't help. At all.

He leads me to the front door and he holds up a finger. He opens his mouth and reaches inside. When he pulls his arm out, he holds a key. He inserts it into the keyhole and the door opens. I feel the wind blow in as he holds it open for me. I'm stiff for a moment before I manage to step forward and exit. I watch him close the door behind me as I wave.

I spot a pair of glowing yellow dots in the darkness behind Freddy. It's him. He doesn't pay any mind to him as he simply walks off.

In a span of a few minutes, everything has changed. I lean against the building, looking at the number written down for me. This number, it's familiar. I don't know why though. I also don't know why Freddy tipped me off. I'm not complaining, but I'm left with more questions.

I hear a car pulling in. To my disbelief, it's Logan's ride. I see him and his little sister, asleep. Looks like he's back on Earth. He pulls up in front of me and I approach the door. I get in the car and buckle in.

"So yeah, I kind of forgot you," he says, realizing what happened during his happy time.

"Just forgot about it," I tell him. "I don't care."

He pauses. "Well... okay then!" Logan can go from sorrowful to his normal jolly self in an instant. "So hey, I managed to sneak a copy of that new game I was telling you about. Want to check it out, Kal-Kal?"

"Sure," I answer. With that, we're on the road back home.

After the gaming's through (I've been wanting to play this game for a while), I have some research to do.


	5. Memories

I sit before the computer in my living room. It's morning outside now; when Logan dropped me off at my house I was too tired to do anything. Having gotten some sleep, I'm ready to dig around for the meaning behind this number.

Opening the browser I wonder – what should I put in? I think of a few words and scoot my chair in. I type into the keyboard.

_Freddy Fazbears, '87, Northpoint._

A lot of results come up. I look through the first couple of pages and pick out the few I want to look at. Most of the ones I select are about a "Bite of '87."

I click on the first link. It leads to a blogging website, and the page is full of stories on the pizzeria, written in her words. I scroll down until I find the one about the Bite. There's a picture of Foxy behind an opening in the curtains of his attraction. I start reading.

_The Bite of '87 happened in 1987, and it pretty much started the decline of the restaurant. Not much is known about what happened; nothing's official but there's been one theory with a bit of evidence to back it up by local residents. The victim was a child who suffered a near-fatal bite from one of the animatronics and was rushed to the hospital. Many say it was Foxy as less than a week after the event, the Pirate's Cove was closed. It's said if you look at Foxy's teeth you can see how he managed to cause that kind of stuff. People also point his broken jaw (see the first picture)._

He's been out of order for that long? It actually makes sense after I realized how bad he is right now – the holes in his suit, the exposed arm, even the jaw. What I don't understand is if he did bite this kid, why would he do it? I never recalled Foxy ever being angry or violent. I keep reading.

_A couple of locals have said the child's family had paid local news outlets to keep certain details and the family's identity out of the story. No guesses as to why are around, and the rumors don't mention any names._

And that's it. I move onto the next link, taking me to a forum. I read the first post, made just a few weeks ago. I don't find anything new as it mentions the same stuff as the last site did. The last few are the same.

I sit back in my chair as I look over what I have found. An animatronic bit one of the kids one day. He was rushed to the hospital and recovered. His parents paid to keep what I guess is anything sensitive out of the papers. A lot people said Foxy was behind it with evidence to back it up. I don't know what to say because there's not enough.

I think of what to do next when I think of something. A little while after I came home from the hospital the staff handed some of my drawings back. I don't know where they are, maybe the attic? They could help.

* * *

><p>I head upstairs and enter the attic. It's freezing cold and I put my hood up as I flip the light switch. We haven't gone through anything in here since I was six so it's cluttered. I do know they always put my stuff near the Christmas decorations. I make my way through a narrow passage and find what I'm looking for. I start digging through boxes.<p>

If there's one thing I've always known about myself, it's that I always leave behind hints of the past that jog my memory. And a lot of them are left behind in drawings. If I find them, they may just make me remember something. As bad as they may be, I can actually say that I'm ready for whatever resurfaces... I don't say that a lot.

I find a lot of papers – this might be it. The deeper I dig, the older the treasures are. They bring back so much, like how I used to be so bad at school. It's because I can never sleep, and back then I didn't have meds. School also reminds me of when I met Logan. It was back in ninth grade when he had a crafting class together. We kind of just became friends and we always sat at the front of the room, next to this really annoying fat kid. He vanished halfway through the school year, why exactly nobody knows. Logan cracks jokes about what happened to him whenever he comes up.

I search some more and find exactly what I'm looking for. I find a small stack of drawings with Foxy and the others and pull them out. I stand up and look at the first one, but I'm stopped by the sound of doors opening and closing downstairs. I freeze scared until I hear Logan calling my name in that dumb way he always does. I don't know where he thought he could just use the key under the mat to say hi. And yes, my parents actually do that. We don't get crime around here, and when it does it's nothing bad. Except maybe once or twice.

I take the papers with me as I leave the attic.

* * *

><p>I turn into the living room and find Logan at the computer. I stop as I watch him look at the tab I left it on. Logan has a thing for getting into my stuff if it's open. I'm not worried about what he'll have to say. Logan doesn't know about Freddy's as much as I do, or what's happened in the past couple days.<p>

I walk in and he notices me.

"Hey what's this?" he asks me. He's not seated in my chair so I take it. I close the pages.

"I was just looking up a few things," I explain.

"For Freddy's?"

"Yeah."

"What for?"

"Nothing."

"Alright, so... you has any snacks? There ain't crap to eat at my house."

"You can look around."

Logan really only comes over for stuff like that. He leaves the living room and I watch him walk into the kitchen. Honestly I don't want him around right now but I can't shake him. Logan isn't going to budge no matter what I try.

Since it's not any better down here, I sneak back upstairs. I race to my room with the papers in my hands. Before I close the door behind me I look around. I see nothing but I hear Logan downstairs. He'll probably be busy for a while. I shut the door and sit on my bed. I start looking through the drawings.

The first ones are just how I spent some of my days at Freddy's. None of them make me remember anything. All but one don't have Foxy in them. We _were_ so close back then. I don't really recall having any friends up until a few years after my blackout.

The next ones are pretty much the same but some of them give me flashbacks. They take me back to moments of fun with Foxy, again. There's also the other animatronics, mainly Chica and Bonnie. Foxy interacts with them and there's something about the way they stand that grabs me.

I'm shocked at what I see next. I drew Foxy on his knees, hovered over by Bonnie and Chica. I just stand there with a blank face – well, that's what I drew. The memories arise and I relive it. Foxy's hand's are over his head as the others stare him down. I see Freddy in the next room over, glimpsing at it before turning back to a couple other kids.

I hear footsteps outside, likely from the stairs. It's definitely Logan. I don't care for him right now; I think I'm onto something. I look at the next page.

Foxy gets kicked by Bonnie in this one. A couple teenagers are in the background and I'm standing next to them. My face is blank again as I watch Foxy fall to the ground. It comes back to me again, and I hear the guys next to me comment about it. They're too muffled for some reason and I don't catch what they say. Bonnie looks like he's about to try something else before he looks over at me. And that's where it ends.

I keep looking at the drawing as I hear Logan's voice. He's calling my name but he's going the wrong way. My house is large so if he checks everything on the other side it'll be a while before he turns around.

I'm at the last paper now. This one is full of scribbles – I mean all of the drawings have them, but this one is covered in them. I sense anger from it. In the orange crayon mess lies me and Foxy, facing each other in a place I didn't sketch out, it's just white. The angle I drew Foxy at is from the side where his eyepatch covers his right eye. He looks down at me. This time I'm frowning in it. I'm guessing I was upset after what Bonnie did...

I remember it now. What happened just before I blacked out. It only took seconds but so much happened right there. We're in the Cove, and Foxy is focused on the others in the next room. Two of the staff members talk.

"I'm not saying put him out, I'm just saying we might need to keep more eyes on him."

"Kim calm down. Foxy is probably the most harmless bot, what makes you say that?"

"Have you bee paying attention to what's been going on this past week? Look at him, he's just eying them down!"

"Alright Kim, I think I've heard enough."

The girl points at Foxy, who begins shaking violently. I watch as he slowly looks over his shoulder, to me. She yells for someone to help stop him and the other worker asks her what she's thinking. Just as she's about to grab him, this unnerving sound emerges from his mouth as he lunges at me.

I feel the paper slip from my hands as I stare at the door. Logan knocks on the door and calls my name.

"Hey Kal-Kal? Kali-Kal? You in there? …Kalman?"

Foxy bit me.


	6. Forgiven

When the staff clears from the room I see a head poke in from the back. Kalman came back today, and I think I know why. Freddy isn't one to keep things from others, and if he went up to Kalman and told him _that_ thing when he was in here (I saw a glimpse of him outside the curtains)...

Kalman enters the room with haste, probably to avoid the staff. He must be trying to sneak around them. Last time he got kicked out by that other boy, and he must be thinking it'll happen again. Through the crack in the curtains I watch him approach the Cove. I step back for I know what's going to do. He slips through quickly and checks the coast. He recedes his head and turns to me. I wait for him to speak as he gets out the pad.

"Hey again, um, so I came back to ask you about something," he says as he looks back at the light coming in. "I don't think we have to worry about them showing up right now but..."

I take the pad and pencil from him as he stares off. He watches as I write on the first clean page I turn to. There's no point of hiding it anymore if he knows. "_**Are you here because you found something?**_" I write. I hand it to him and he reads it. His eyes widen as he looks at me.

"Uh yeah," he confirms. His face reads something one of his kind would use in a time like this. "Do-do you... everything?"

With a simple nod I answer all his questions. I'm sure Freddy tipped him off. If so, I know he looked around for clues. I know he figured out what happened that day when that girl was yelling at the other staff member. We both know what I did.

Kalman takes it in as he lets himself fall and sits on the floor. I watch him stroke his hands through his hair. "How did you know all that..." I'm ready to write something else down, but instead he stands up again, distressed, confused, and likely even enraged.

"But Foxy... why? Do you know what – what could have happened if –"

I gently take the pad and paper from him again. I write down my last answer as I twitch. Kalman gazes with wide eyes as I finish up. I turn the pad around so that the message is there for him to read.

"_**I'm falling apart **__**inside**__** and I can't help it**_."

I may still be able to hold myself together, but I know that deep inside my time is coming. I can't think straight sometimes, and at times I do things I don't even think about doing. _They_ pushed a button that day, and poor Kal had to pay the price. I know he doesn't like this. But at least he's still perfectly fine... somehow.

A decade-long secret like this isn't something that will blow over easily. Kalman's head is lowered. I just stand here and wait for him.

"So you're pretty much going... bonkers?" he answers. Honestly, maybe crazy is a better description for my decline.

I grab the pad again and write something for him.

"_**Maybe I am. You can mad at me if you want, I know it's my fault. I let you down, didn't I?"**_

Reading my note, I watch him look to his left for a moment. He's surely deciding on what to do next. It's silent outside except the clock ticking on the wall and the ambient chatter from the next room.

This is the end of the wait, and it took longer than I thought. I felt Freddy would make it happen, because that's just Freddy for you when he's not after the night shifter. All I can do now is just take the blows coming my way. It won't hurt too bad, I've been through this before.

"I can't get mad at you if you weren't thinking straight," he says.

…

I can't believe. He actually forgives me? I don't recall the last time someone's done that... he still cares.


End file.
